As is well known in the prior art, the application of a magnetic field to certain types of fluids flowing through a conduit has a beneficial effect on such fluids. Examples of certain fluids upon which magnetic fields are known to have a beneficial effect include gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil and water. In this respect, U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,145 to Mitchell, et al. describes a device which positions a magnetic field adjacent to an automotive fuel line for purposes of improving the performance of the engine. Other devices such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,754 to Menold are adapted to produce a magnetic field adjacent to a flow of fresh water for purposes of softening the water. In other applications, magnetic devices are placed upon pipes used for transmitting crude oil for purposes of decreasing the build up of paraffin on the interior of the pipes.
Magnetic devices for use in treating fresh water have been developed since virtually every household having a fresh water supply plumbed thereto is affected to some degree by the incrustation of calcium salts and other compounds in the interiors of the water transmitting conduits of the house. Such incrustation is often referred to as "scale" which can take various forms, but is typically created by substances such as calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate. In crude oil transmission, scale is often formed by various oils, waxes and greases in addition to paraffin. After there is a sufficient detrimental build up of scale in the pipes or other transmission conduits, it becomes necessary to replace the pipes since there is no way of easily removing the incrustation.
It has been found that since most substances creating scale in water, fuel and oil transmitting conduits are diamagnetic, subjecting the substances to a strong magnetic field induces polarization in the substances in such a way that the diamagnetic molecules thereof are repelled by the magnetic field and by other polarized diamagnetic molecules. Since the diamagnetic substances possess this characteristic, formation of objectional incrustation, i.e. scale deposits, on the inside of the transmission conduit or pipe is prevented by inducing polarization which causes the diamagnetic substances to move away from the inner surface of the conduit when under the influence of a sufficiently strong magnetic field. As such, many prior art water treating magnetic devices have been developed to prevent the formation of scale by magnetically acting on the offending compounds and causing them to be discharged in the flowing water.
With regard to the various magnetic water treating devices that have been developed in the prior art, such devices generally incorporate electromagnetic coils and/or permanent magnets as a means for creating the water treating magnetic fields. In those prior art devices employing permanent magnets, the devices are oftentimes positioned within or near a reservoir or conduit containing the water to be treated. The size, intensity and dispersion pattern of the magnetic field is generally controlled by the size, positioning and polar arrangement of the permanent magnets within the device. Though functioning to position a magnetic field adjacent the flowing water, many prior art magnetic water treatment devices possess certain deficiencies which detract from their utility. In this respect, many prior art permanent magnet water treatment devices are not optimal for use in all water treatment applications since such devices are not adapted to be quickly and easily mounted upon an existing water pipe or other water flow conduit. Additionally, in many prior art devices, a strong enough magnetic field is not provided, particularly on larger diameter pipes or conduits. Thus, a substantial proportion of the water flowing through the pipe is not subjected to a field of sufficient intensity for a long enough period of time to achieve the desired conditioning effect. The present invention overcomes these and other deficiencies associated with prior art magnetic fluid treating devices, and more particularly, magnetic water conditioning devices.